World Breastfeeding Week: Charlotte's Story

"I didn't know it would get easier."

World Breastfeeding Week (1–7 August) is an opportunity to celebrate every family's feeding journey and the importance of making sure parents have the support they need from the very beginning.

This year's theme, "Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works," reminds us that investing in families during the earliest days of a child's life can have lifelong benefits for babies, parents and communities.

For Charlotte, the journey wasn't easy.

"The first few weeks of feeding my first felt extremely difficult. I was not prepared for the engorgement, bleeding nipples and loneliness. However, with lots of energy, persistence and love we got there."

Like many new parents, Charlotte questioned whether things would ever become easier.

"I didn't understand how painful, exhausting and time consuming it could be, but I also didn't know that after six weeks this would pass and breastfeeding would become one of the most special experiences."

Today, Charlotte looks back on that difficult start with pride. She breastfed her first child for 19 months and has now reached two years of breastfeeding with her second.

For her, the lasting memory isn't the difficult beginning, but the connection that followed.

"The bond I feel when feeding, those little eyes looking into mine and tiny hands holding on is something I will treasure forever."

Charlotte's story is a reminder that every breastfeeding journey is different. Some parents find it straightforward, while others face challenges in the early days. No one should have to navigate those challenges alone.

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Supporting Families Every Step of the Way

At Home-Start HOST, our Infant Feeding Team provides compassionate, evidence-based support for families across Tameside and Oldham, whether you're preparing for your baby's arrival, overcoming early feeding challenges, expressing milk, combination feeding, or simply looking for reassurance.

Working in partnership with the Tameside Family Hubs and Oldham Best Start Family Hubs, NHS colleagues and local community partners, we help to ensure families can access the right support at the right time, wherever they are on their feeding journey.

Throughout World Breastfeeding Week, we'll be sharing real stories from local families to celebrate every feeding journey and to highlight the importance of strengthening the support that already exists for parents across our communities.

You can also visit our World Breastfeeding Week display at Ashton Market Hall throughout the week to discover local services, information and support available for families.

On Friday 7 August, members of our Infant Feeding Team, Jane and Rachel, will be joining the World Breastfeeding Week Walk at Stamford Park, celebrating families and the local communities that help them thrive.

Whether you're expecting your first baby, feeding a newborn, navigating toddler feeding or simply looking for advice, you don't have to do it alone.

Join the conversation this week using #WorldBreastfeedingWeek and #BreastfeedVictory as we celebrate every step of every family's feeding journey.